Tuesday, January 1, 2008

SERVICE STATION WASTEWATER

Automotive service station wastewater has been a heavy environment pollutant and a major topic of environment science fields. The service station wastewater pollutes surface water sources as well as ground water sources. This scenario can be proven with lot of evidence. Environment Policy Authority has sampled wastewater at motor vehicle service stations that use shallow injection wells and found that more than half these samples far exceed the Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) established under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Tests conducted by Environment Policy Authority on fluid samples from service station floor drains indicate that improper disposal of waste generated during vehicle servicing poses the threat of ground water contamination. For 35 of these cases out of hundreds of examinations Environment Policy Authority estimates that a total of more than 1.5 million people could have been affected. We can imagine the tragic situation with these exact numbers.

Automotive service station wastewater may contain several hundred milligrams per liter of benzene and other volatile organic compounds. Waste solvents contain a high percentage of chlorinated hydrocarbons. Some of these chemicals are known or suspected carcinogens. For all of these chemicals, there is Environment Policy Authority standards, Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) established under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).

In order to comply wastewater which is discharged into environment, with Maximum Contaminant Levels that wastewater must be undergone proper treatment. Design wastewater treatment plant is very important area in environment engineering. It is a responsibility of professional environment engineers to come up with proper solutions for burning issues. Treatment plant should be able to discharge wastewater under Maximum Contaminant Levels those are established by local authorities. It must be capable to cater its service for average capacities and also for possible maximum volumes.

In principles of environment engineering module we were assigned to conduct major wastewater tests such Oil & Grease, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Biological Oxygen Demand and Total Solid & Total Dissolved Solid in selected automotive service station in near by area. After completing the four major tests we were assigned to come up with proper solution for that automotive service station wastewater. By involving with the particle we familiarized with techniques for sampling, preservation, preparation for test …etc. We familiarized with the four common tests for wastewater which are being practiced in field.